Apparatus for filling containers with explosives



June 28, 1927.

c. G. YOUNG APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS WITH EXPLO SIVEIS Filed Feb. 8. 1926 Patented June 28, 1927.

CECIL G. YOUNG, OF THE UNITED S TA'IES ARMY, DOVER-,- NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS WITH EXPLOSIVES.

Application filed February 8, 192 Serial No. $6,944.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT or MARCH 3, 1883; 22 sra'r. L. 625.)

The invention described herein lnay'be used by the iovermnent, or any of its offi' a device by means of which containers, par

ticularly bombs and shells, may be 'fille'd with explosive in such a manner as to provide an accuratelyshaped and dimensioned cavity for receiving an adaptor and a booster casing, thereby avoiding the necessity of subsequently drilling out the explosive after cooling.

The types of formers heretofore developed possess certain disadvantages in that by reason of the small apertures provided the explosive solidifies therein before an allowance can be made for the shrinkage in the container, thus producing cavities, and turther, the explosive rises up around the side of the former and solidifies in the threads in the container producing a dangerous condition Which may result in an explosion as the former unit is removed.

The former employed in the present in vention is designed to eliminate the foregoing disadvantages and while it may be used in the regular straight pour method it is particularly adapted to the pellet method of loading which consists of dropping solidified pellets of explosive into liquid explosive previously placed in the container, the result being that the entire mass solidifies rapidly and uniformly.

To these and other ends, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of elements, described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims torming a part of this specification.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of the former applied to a bomb;

Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the socket ring;

of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevation partly in section of the same; i

' Fig. 5 is a plan View of the handle;

Fig. 6 is-an elevation partly in section thereof; f "Figf? is an elevationn of one of the cutting knives;

v Fig. 8 is anend view thereof; l

I*ig. 91s a sectional view on the line 9 -9 'Fig. lO-is a sectional view onthe linez fis 10 10 of Fig.2.

Referring to the drawingsby numerals of reference: I I

The former comprises smooth finished; member 5, shaped'to the booster casing anal terminating 'atits oiit'efe'iid in a reduced shank 6 for receiving a narrow handle memher 7, Which may be held against removal by nuts 8. Secured to the handle isa socket ring 9 externally threadedto provide for supporting the former unit and centering the same in the loading aperture of the bomb.

Both the handle member and the ring member are provided With grooves, respec tively 7 and 9, in which are radially fixed apair of knives or cutting blades 10 10, and the purpose of these knives'is to provide, when the unit is rotated through onehalf a revolution, a cavity in the explosive $5. to take the adaptor casing. The knives therefore performthe same function as the enlarged cup-shaped portions of the conventional formers, but they possess this advantage thereover in that the openings 11 on either side of the handle member, constituting practically the entire area of the bomb aperture, are available for introducing pel-. lets of explosive or insuring the flow of the molten explosive into the chamber and also for observation of the loading.

The preferred method of employing the apparatus is to initially load the bomb to a predetermined height, then insert the former unit and complete the operation. In the pellet method of loading, the large openiri s i 11 facilitate control of the height to Whic the final loading is carried. While the explosive is somewhat plastic the former unit is removed, the member 5 leaving the correct cavity for the booster, and the knives cut and form the top to the shape of the adaptor or other unit which is to be placed therein.

With some slight finish around the edges of the top of the charge the bomb will be ready for the insertion of the adaptor and the booster casing. V

In using the straight pour method, the large openings will conveniently permit the application of a riser and preferably, in this method, the former unit not threaded in the bomb.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a former unit comprising but a few simple and inexpensive parts which permits the loading operation to be completed in a quick and safe manner.

lVhile in the foregoing there hasbeen illustrated and described such combination and arrangement oi elements, as constitute the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is nevertheless desired to emphasize the fact that interpretation of the invention should only be conclusive when made in the light of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A former unit for use in charging containers with explosive comprising a ring secura'ble in the loading aperture of a container, a handle member diametrically spanning the ring and fixed thereto, a member carried by the handle'member centrally of the loading aperture of the container and a pair of cutting blades carried by the ring and handle members.

2. A former unit for use in charging containers with explosive comprising supporting members, a member carried thereby for forming a booster cavity, and means carried thereby for cutting an adaptor cavity.

3. In apparatus for use in charging containers with explosive, a central former member, and cutting means disposed radially with respect to said member.

4:. A former unit for use in charging containers with explosive including a relatively narrow handle member adapted to span the loading aperture of acontainer, a member carried thereby for forming a booster cavity, and means also carried thereby for forming an adaptor cavity.

' 5. A former unit for use in charging containers with explosive including arelatively narrow handle member adapted to span the loading aperture of a container and provided with cutting means.

CECIL G. YOUNG; 

